


Spontaneous Decisions

by Tsukino_Akume



Category: Power Rangers in Space
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-07
Updated: 2013-09-07
Packaged: 2017-12-25 21:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/957682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsukino_Akume/pseuds/Tsukino_Akume
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Most of her life was made up of split-second decisions and gut instincts. They weren't all necessarily <b>*good*</b> decisions, but they were hers, and that was what mattered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spontaneous Decisions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [eirenical (chibi1723)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibi1723/gifts).



> **Disclaimer/:** The only thing I claim ownership of is Christian/Chris, who's an OC from my backstory for Cassie.  
>  **Warnings/:** Passing mentions of under-age drinking, smoking, rude hand gestures  
>  **Author's Notes/:** I've always had headcanon that Cassie was a bit of a 'bad girl' before she came to Angel Grove. There's hints of that here, but nothing too over the top, I think.
> 
> This is ... not quite what I thought it'd be in my head? I really hope you like it, Renee-chan! ^.^;;

It wasn't ever something she'd planned. But then, most of her life was made up of split-second decisions and gut instincts. They weren't all necessarily ***good*** decisions, but they were hers, and that was what mattered.

This decision fell somewhere in between. 

"I promised my parents I'd think about college," Ashley told them all, nursing a cup of hot chocolate as they crowded around the table in the Glider Bay. They'd been talking for hours about nothing in particular, enjoying some quiet time together in all the chaos they'd been dealing with since their identities were revealed. No one was sure how the subject came up, but it seemed they'd all given some thought of what they'd planned to do next. 

"Man, that's ***all*** my parents have been harping about," T.J. groaned, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "They've been practically burying me in college pamphlets." 

Carlos made a face. "Jump into more school? No, thanks. I'd rather work for awhile first, take the time to think about it. I'm not saying I won't go some day," he added hastily as Ashley narrowed her eyes at him. "I just want to know what I'm doing first, you know?" 

"Make sense," T.J. agreed, nudging Ashley playfully. 

"We need to get back to KO-35," Andros admitted reluctantly, glancing at Zhane. 

"Just a temporary thing," Zhane promised everyone cheerfully. "We need to make sure they finally put people who aren't us in charge." 

T.J. raised his eyebrows. "Has that been a problem?" 

Andros looked mildly irritated. "Zhane is technically still KO-35's political representative." 

Zhane reached over to steal some of Andros' chocolate, completely ignoring the half-full mug in front of him. "I told them I quit, but I don't think they believed me." 

"What about you, Cassie?" Ashley asked, trying to hide a giggle behind her mug. "What do you want to do?" 

Cassie stared at her hot chocolate for a moment. With everything that had happened - meeting T.J., being chosen as Kat's successor, trying to juggle school and Rangering, the search for Zordon, dealing with paparazzi and fans and being constantly surrounded by people - she hadn't bothered to think about it. She'd been so busy living in the moment, she hadn't thought about having a future. And now that she had one ... 

"I’m going on a road trip," she said abruptly. 

"Road trip?" T.J. echoed. 

She nodded, completely serious despite the fact that she'd only just thought of it. "We saved Earth. Now I want to see the world I protected." 

T.J. and Carlos were staring at her like she'd lost her mind. Zhane seemed thoughtful, reaching for Andros' mug again before he was batted away. Ashley looked worried. 

Of all of them, Andros just nodded, offering her a small, supportive smile. 

"But ... how would you pay for something like that?" Ashley ventured hesitantly. "There's transportation, gas, food, hotels ... " 

Cassie shrugged, idly taking a long sip of her chocolate. "I have some money." She hadn't had it long; just a trust fund she'd inherited when she turned eighteen, from some distant relative she'd never met who seemed to think it was their job to leave something to her. It wasn't a fortune, but more than enough for a cross-country summer trip. Transportation might be an issue, but she knew someone who'd be willing to help her out. 

"Can I come?" 

Karone's voice was so soft she almost didn't hear her. She was tracing patterns on the table with a finger, but she glanced up when everyone looked at her. 

She didn't even stop to think about it. 

"Of course." She lifted her mug with a grin, toasting Karone's after a moment of waiting for Karone to raise her own. "You can be my navigator," she teased, giving her a wink. 

Karone nodded as they clinked mugs, offering a shy smile. "I'd like that." 

****

She wasn't sure what she'd expected when Christian rolled up the garage door, but it was definitely not ***this***. 

This was not just any old car he'd been hanging onto. It was a brand new convertible Chevy Camaro. Two seats, black interior, tape deck, five-speed, she noted as she walked along side it, trailing a hand just above the silver paint. Everything about it practically screamed top of the line. 

"Tell me you didn't steal this," she demanded when she finally found her voice, turning to glare at him. 

He rolled his eyes. "I have a job, you know. A ***legal*** one," he added, scowling when she looked suspicious. "Yes, it's legal. You'd think you didn't trust me or something." 

She snorted. "How long have we known each other?" She lifted the hood, running her eyes over the engine carefully. She wasn't a car expert and never would be, but some things still lingered from her time as a Turbo Ranger. "How did you afford this? And why would you give it to me?" 

"I thought I'd gave my little sis a 'hey, thanks for making sure the planet didn't get blown up' present, so sue me. You want the car or not?" 

She huffed as she slammed the hood back down, amused. "Is that a trick question?" 

****

They left early on a Wednesday, before anyone else was even awake. The others were going to kill her later, but she'd never liked long goodbyes. Karone hadn't objected when she'd mentioned the time she wanted to leave, just nodded. 

Cassie was beginning to wonder if she just didn't like talking to anyone who wasn't Andros. 

They'd both packed light, Cassie because she knew better. She hadn't thought to ask Karone if there was anything she wanted to bring or that she needed, and a twinge of guilt hit her. She hadn't thought much about anything except how much she wanted to leave. 

"Is that everything you want to take?" she asked, feeling awkward. "We can stop if there's something else." 

Karone blinked at her and shook her head, reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear. "No, thank you. I have everything I need." 

_But is that everything you ***want***?_ Cassie wondered as she closed the trunk. _If there was something, would you even ask?_

****

They'd been driving for two days before Karone finally spoke up for something more than answering a direct question. "Where are we going?" 

"Everywhere," Cassie answered immediately, brushing her hair out of her face with one hand. "Anywhere." 

She glanced over to see Karone giving her a strange look and shrugged. "I didn't exactly plan this," she admitted. "I just ... wanted to go." She turned her attention back to the road for a minute before glancing at Karone again. "Is there anywhere ***you*** want to go?" 

For a long moment, she thought she wouldn't get an answer. Karone seemed to be lost in thought, staring out over the horizon. 

"For as long as I can remember, I've been destroying worlds like this," she said at last, just barely loud enough to be heard over the wind. "I never cared about what I was destroying." She turned abruptly, staring at Cassie with wide, earnest blue eyes. "Show me everything. Make me care about this planet." 

_Make me care._

It was probably the saddest, most sincere thing anyone had ever asked of her. She forced herself to smile. "Anything and everything," she repeated, offering a fist. 

Karone stared at it blankly. "That's not a very good punch." 

She laughed, surprising herself. "That's not what it's for. It's another version of shaking hands. Hold out your fist like I am." 

It took six tries before Karone was able to bump fists with her the right way, and she still looked incredibly confused as to why they were doing it in the first place. But she still smiled when Cassie cheered as she finally got it. The expression lit up her eyes in a way they never had before, and Cassie found herself smiling back. 

****

They ended up buying a U.S. map, a list of national parks, a list of popular tourist attractions, a box of markers, and a digital camera that cost more than they probably should been willing to spend. On a whim, Cassie grabbed the biggest notebook she could find and some stickers. "For scrapbooking," she told Karone when she looked curious. "Every good adventure needs a scrapbook." 

The word 'adventure' made Karone smile in the way that reached her eyes again. 

"All right, Navigator," she teased as they climbed back into the car. She handed the map, lists, and markers to Karone, smirking playfully. "Navigate." 

For the briefest of moments, something flickered in Karone's eyes she couldn't read. But then she smiled and winked in a saucy way Cassie hadn't seen her do since she was Astronema, and her heart skipped a beat. "Drive, pilot," she commanded. 

Cassie laughed, saluting as she shifted the car into gear. "Aye, aye, Princess!" 

****

They avoided the technological marvel attractions, because Karone couldn't stop giggling at them and Cassie quickly got tired of trying not to be offended. And most of the historical sites, because explaining American history was boring and exhausting for both of them. They skipped anything with a large crowd, because large groups of people made Karone nervous even if she wouldn't admit it. They weren't recognized as often as Cassie had worried they might be, but they left any place they were as fast as they possibly could. 

Instead they visited parks, zoos, national monuments. They got drunk in Napa Valley because no one realized they were under age and Cassie always carried an extra fake id 'just in case'. They went river rafting in Colorado and Karone nearly fell in, which is how Cassie learned that she couldn't swim - couldn't swim _well_ , Karone insisted. (Which was totally the same thing.) She taught her how in the first lake they found, which turned into more of a water fight than anything else. They also tried fishing, which earned them each a good nap, a bad sunburn, and three very small fish between them. They visited Niagara Falls and took a hot air balloon ride, which neither of them enjoyed as much as they'd thought they would. Yosemite was pretty, but Karone decided that Old Faithful was the most boring thing they'd seen yet. They went skiing in Vermont, tried snowboarding, and decided that it was easier. They went spelunking in Kentucky, which was surprisingly fun, but made Karone giggle whenever anyone called it that. 

They hiked through whatever mountains they came across just because they could, and bought gear so they could camp out under the stars when the weather was nice. Food was always a new experience wherever they went, and they tried to eat local cuisine when it was available. Karone developed a particular love of pancakes and chocolate milk. Cassie maintained that nothing was better than ice cream. 

They agreed to disagree. 

****

They'd parked at one of the viewing platforms overlooking the Grand Canyon so Karone could take pictures. She'd gotten good with the camera, and seemed to genuinely enjoy making use of it. Even better, her newfound love of photography was making her bolder about telling Cassie when she wanted to stop for a picture. 

Cassie sat on the hood of the car, smoking a cigarette. She'd had one once, years ago, before Chris had threatened to beat her black and blue if she tried it again. She bought the pack on a whim, but her lungs were already complaining, and she could feel the Power trying to burn the smoke from her system. 

Eventually Karone wandered over, hoping up neatly to sit beside her. They sat in silence, listening to the music from the car radio and enjoying the view. 

And then Karone leaned over and kissed her. 

She responded automatically, before she'd even fully processed what was going on. When she did finally clue in, she found herself taking note of the little things. Karone's lips were soft but insistent, almost demanding. Her hair tickled Cassie's cheek. She reached up to brush it away and found herself cupping Karone's face instead as she leaned in for more. 

Eventually they separated, still leaning close together as they stared at one another. 

"How long have you been waiting to do that?" Cassie wondered finally, stroking Karone's cheek idly with her thumb. 

Karone smirked faintly. "Since I ordered you to tell me where the Red Ranger was." 

They stared at each other for a moment longer, before Cassie finally grinned back. "Took you long enough," she teased. 

Karone rolled her eyes, shifting back to lean against her shoulder. "So insubordinate," she sighed. 

"Bossy Princess," Cassie retorted. 

Their hands stayed braced together on the car, fingers intertwined 

****

"You have to listen to the engine," Cassie explained. "There's no indicator lights; you have to judge by the sounds it makes when it needs you to shift gears." 

Karone eyed the dashboard in front of her skeptically. "I'm going to break your car," she predicted. 

Cassie rolled her eyes. "You won't break it. Just trust me, and listen, and shift when I say shift, okay?" 

The car lurched forward, making a horrible screech. 

"No no no! Not ***now!*** " 

****

The drive-in they'd found was fairly hole-in-the-wall. They served dry, stale popcorn and sodas that tasted funny. The movie started late. 

The Camaro wasn't the best car for movie cuddling. Karone decided to solve this by pulling Cassie over to sit in her lap. Which was fine, but Cassie had to flip off the gaping teenagers in the car a few spots over to get them to stop staring. 

It wasn't until the credits began to roll that Cassie realized how still Karone had gotten. "Hey." She nudged her gently, shifting a little to look at her. She froze when she saw the look on Karone's face. "What's wrong?" 

Karone shook her head, blinking rapidly for a moment. "I liked it," she said finally, staring down at their entwined hands. Her voice was painfully soft. 

It took a moment, but Cassie felt like an idiot when she finally realized what the problem was. "I'm sorry. I didn't - " She sighed, feeling horrible. "I didn't think about the plot that much when I picked it, did I?" 

Karone shook her head again. "I liked it," she insisted. "It was ... It was good." 

Cassie smiled sadly, reaching up to brush her cheek. "I still didn't mean to upset you." 

Karone seemed to consider that. "It's ... a good upset, I think." She paused, glancing at the radio. "I like the songs." 

"We'll buy the soundtrack," Cassie promised. 

Karone smiled at that, and she leaned in to kiss her. 

The boys a few spots down started cat-calling. Neither of them bothered to look as they flipped them off. 

****

"Summer's almost over," Cassie murmured as they snuggled together on the hood of the car, watching the sunrise over the horizon. 

"Is that bad?" 

"No. It's just ... " She hesitated, trying to find the best way to explain what she was thinking about. "We're running out of road." 

Karone frowned. "We haven't seen your entire planet." 

"Well, no, but - " 

"You promised to show me everything," she reminded her. 

Cassie huffed, amused. "There are parts of this world we can't reach by road, you know." 

"So?" 

She paused, pulling away to sit up and look at Karone. "You're serious? You want to keep traveling around with me?" 

Karone frowned at her again. "I never said I planned on going anywhere else." 

Cassie blinked at her for a moment. Her heart felt somehow light and incredibly full at the same time. "What about when I run out of things to show you about this world?" 

Karone shrugged, unconcerned. "Then I'll show you mine."


End file.
